Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in candle-making but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Danielle Friesen, co-founder of Waxxawwax Candles, located in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are Danielle and Oliver, and our business is called Waxxawwax Candles. We make high-quality, 100% raw, filtered beeswax sculptural candles using zero additives. All of our candle molds are made in-house and are one of a kind, typically using a model made from bones or a skull. Our candles have a unique and considered aesthetic that works in harmony with the burning requirements of a candle, so they look great and burn well. Our customers are folks of all ages and walks of life, conscious of being environmentally friendly. Many of our customers are passionate about anatomy and enjoy having unique items in their homes.

Tell us about yourself

We are artists and are very motivated to make our own schedules. One day we toyed with the idea of combining our skill sets to build a business. Specifically mold making and design. The beginning of Waxxawwax Candles was all very simple. We desire an entrepreneurial path that has a low impact on the environment and a substantial impact on candle-making. We are motivated by how good it feels to be doing something creatively charged and the people responding to our efforts. We find great joy in making something people know is safe and beautiful to enjoy in good company.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Our biggest accomplishment as business owners was starting. It's one thing to brainstorm ideas and let them sit on paper, but to actually have worked and re-worked a concept and bring it to fruition was a big feat for us.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Saying no. We have very solid core values as a business and as individual people. There are so many avenues we could take to sell our candles in the mindset of today's world, but we actively choose not to. People will always have their opinions and some with a wealth of experiences, but we know what we are striving to make and what we deeply want to do. So saying no is a large part of honouring that and respecting ourselves in the process.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Start. — This can mean writing down a business plan, talking to people in business, sharing your ideas with people you deeply trust, and finding the people you need to get your business moving. There needs to be an action in order to make your business happen!
  2. Rest. — There is a massive hustle culture that exists right now. It can be very easy to compare yourself to other businesses online. It is important to know what your capacities are and to use tools that will help you save time and energy. Every little bit helps and will be of great benefit to you, the people around you, and your business.
  3. Adapt. — It is very important to listen to what people are saying but also have a very strong sense of why you are doing what you do. This will help you find your true customers. These individuals truly vibe with what you are doing and invest in your product/service. Good things take time to grow, and sometimes that may be weathering the storm or spreading your roots. Whatever it may be, it is always good to be adaptable.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

We have been in business for almost a year now and can safely say it's incredibly rewarding to build something from scratch. Thank you for inviting us to an interview. We feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such a supportive, thriving community!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.waxxawwaxcandles.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waxxawwaxcandles/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.